Children's swings are well-known. These swings include a support, usually in the form of a fabric sling-type seat or rigid seat, suspended in some manner from a frame support or doorway. A child sitting or reclining in the swing moves back and forth with the support. Some swings include a mechanism that provides the swinging motion, whereas other swings rely on gravity following an initial push from an adult. Infants and young children are soothed by the motion of the swing, which will often quiet a cranky child.
Swings that are powered by push and gravity only will keep an infant's attention only as long as a person continues to push the baby in the swing. Mechanical swings also usually wind down after a certain time, for practical reasons and as a safety measure. Once the swinging motion has stopped, the suspended infant could become irritable unless once again set in motion. This makes it difficult for a supervisory adult to keep a baby occupied and happy while momentarily attending to other matters.